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French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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Posted by ksrogers EasternMass Z6 (My Page) on Mon, May 26, 08 at 15:13
| Would like to know how long the French Tarragon lasts outdoors when planted in zone 6. Last year, I bought what was supposed to be French T, but was not, as it had almost no taste or smell. I left it to die out, and this spring it shot up new green shoots. I pulled the clump up, as it wasn't to my liking. I bought some French Tarragon plants from Richters this year, just 3, and they are quite small. I want to plant two outside in the same place as the other poor tarragon was growing, and put the third plant I got, into a 6 inch pot, so I can bring it indoors for the winter. Several years ago, I was given a free French Tarragon plant and left it outdoors, but in a pot. It was taken indoors before any frosts, and had died back once the winter set in. I kept it on a window sill above my kitchen sink. I kept watering it all winter and the following spring about 8 new shoots started to sprout up. Once they were big enough, I cut into the root mass and seperated the clump into 3 pieces. Two were planted outside, and the third was left in the pot. They all survived the seperation quite well. The SECOND year (spring), none of the French tarragon had shown any signs of life, neither the outdoor plants, nor the one in a pot for the indoor winter. I read someplace where these only have a two year lifespan, but how would they survive and create new plants, if they had only two growing years? You can't start these from seeds, and rooted cuttings might be possible, but there again they would have to be new cuttings every two years. Correct me if I am wrong.
My thyme, started from seeds indoors, from last years spring planting is now got a few small flowers. It survived quite well here. I'm hoping to plant some of the Tarragon near it, but want to be able to see it survive without having to buy new plants every two years if possible.. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| I've tried overwintering tarragon outdoors a few times with poor success. The plants either didn't come back at all or came back as puny stunted things that didn't get a chance to survive the next winter since they were gone by fall. I don't know about its lifespan but from my experience I would say that it isn't very cold-hardy and/or long-lived. FataMorgana |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| Ken, my French tarragon lives for many, many years. The only time I have ever lost one during the winter was our year with voles! Danged things. I have one circle planted with French tarragon in the center and thyme around the perimeter. Have another bed with roses and French tarragon. And then, a bed of nothing but French tarragon. I don't mulch the crowns for winter, just leave them be and they seem very happy. how much snow cover do you get where you live? I haven't tried bringing tarragon inside for the winter, don't know how they fare like that. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| The location where the old tarragon that DID survive was next to my thyme plants, which were started from seeds I bought last year, and its now flowering. My original tarragon was not the real thing as it had no real taste or smell. It did send up new shoots this spring, but was all pulled due to it being a fake. Snow here can be 2-3 feet in bad winter. Very close to the glass greenhouse the snow will melt first because the glass walls of the greenhouse because of the sun and the heating up inside. As mentioned, I tried both indoor and outdoor tarragon to see if it would survive a winter. The only one that did survive was the single pot I had on my kitchen window sill over the first winter months, and was quite a surprise to me, as it had looked like it was completely dead. That second fall, the one still in the pot never came back the following spring. Voles here destroyed every single crocus and tulip bulb, as well as several iris roots. I used to have about 500 bulbs that showed up in spring. Now, I only have a few paperwhites, and a couple of other bulbs. Because I grow some saffron crocus, I decided to put down a metal acreen as a shield below the planted bulbs, as well as a gritty substance that is supposed to irritate the diggers. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| I have a French Terragon that is 5 plus feet tall and growing. I dies down in winter and comes back to rapid and very quick life by Spring. It is French Terragon and like yours, it also does ot have much pungency to it, but once picked and sit for a while it develops a lovely aroma. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| My French tarragon has the definite pungency to it and right away. I can't overwinter saffron crocus - I have to winter over in pots. The snow cover often helps tarragon make it through the winter. It always dies back to its roots, but quickly comes up in the spring. Ken, if you are ever in my neck of the woods (southwest of Albany NY), stop by and I will give you a start of my tarragon! |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| Correct me if I'm wrong but French tarragon is supposed to taste like anise? Is a perennial herb, that will die back after the first hard frost. I am always thinning it and drying it for salad dressings. I have the parent plant, which is over 5 yrs old, in full sun. Last year I took a rooting and planted in my home herb garden which doesn't get what one would call full sun, it just started showing up in the garden...I think it's going to make it. If not I'll just dig out another root from the parent. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| Yes, the French tarragon does have an immediate and noticeable taste and smell. The Mexican or Russian type I was sold, had no flavor or smell, even after it was dried. I was hoping to add some sprigs to some white balsamic vinegar, but after finding it bland, decided not to bother. Tarragon is a little like cilantro, you either like it, or hate it. They are two distict herbs, and both are unique in flavor and aroma. I don't detect any hint of anise in mine, but do smell some anise in basil. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| I grew tarragon this summer and want to bring it indoors for winter. I've tried rooting cuttings in a moist medium using the root powder (hormones/fungicide) but they've all withered away. It seems like this isn't the best option for bringing indoors/propagating....does anyone know what is? should I dig around the roots and try to separate them? |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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I tried to root some F.taragones from store-bought bunch.
I only managed to have just ONE plant. It is now in a clay pot.I will burry it in ground bdfore freezing and will mulch it heavily with fall leaves, as natural insulation. Next year I will try again to root more cuttings. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| My French tarragon has come back strongly from the roots each spring for several years. It seems to require no special care. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| Mine comes back every year for 4 years, but it's not very happy sharing a window-box with a more aggressive thyme. The roots are rhizome-like, so dividing them is a good way to propagate it, though I have rooted cuttings before. The roots are sensitive to abuse so be gentle in dividing them. Real french tarragon will cause a slight numbness on the tongue when eaten fresh. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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I just dug a big hole in herb garden, placed my taragon(in 12" pot)in it. packed around it with fallen oak leaves but the top is uncovered. I will dump more oak leaves on it when it gets cold(below freezing. I am sure that persistan cold will eventually penetrate but perhaps the rate of cooling will be slower. This may help the plant to survive better.
This is an experiment as well. Thanks to internet, I have found a use for tough oak leaves,; USE THEM AS WINTER INSULATION AND MULCH. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| I think it is hardy -- the books say to zone 4 -- and needs a cold period. In other words it dies to the ground and comes back from dormancy in the spring from the roots. As far as I know it likes neutral soil and good drainage and does not like to be in any way crowded by other plants or to have poor ventilation or drainage. I never heard that it didn't survive the winter. But it is a bit fussy about having its fleshy roots disturbed in any way. Rosemary on the other hand is not very hardy. You can sometimes overwinter it in zone 6 but it seems to resent the experience and not to grow well afterwards. At least that's what happened with mine. I bring mine in. You could bring your potted tarragon in too, in February after it has had a cold rest period. |
Here is a link that might be useful: tarragon culture
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| But I have heard that FTARRAGON does not like hot weather and so it does not do well down south. And that is why you guys up there in PA and Ny are having 5 year olds(I mean tarragon). That is why I have to plant them where they gets some sun some shade and cool soil. Otherwise the winters here are not that cold but summers are too hot for too long. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| It may not just be the cold but humidity. Some plants just do not like their leaves being damp all of the time. I am of the two year group as I have never had tarragon live longer than that. The roots have always remained spindly and never formed rhizomes or been fleshy. I purchased two more plants this year but they drowned. I keep trying because I like the scent wafting from the plant more than use in receipts. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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| Well, you can always try again. They are fairly inexpensive as young plants. Perhaps over the years with trial and error ... Personally, I would not want to be without it, especially for salad dressing, but I confess my mother's grew much better in Pennsylvania. She was in a rather alkaline soil area and loved to use it lavishly. She made poached chicken with an under-the-skin tarragon, shallot, and butter stuffing that was wonderful.
I grow mine in pots with added lime and hope for the best. They are hanging in there, but when they dwindle I buy some more. |
RE: French Tarragon and its total Lifespan
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That is something ! Alkaline (sweet soil)
I will add some wood ash to my tarragon pot.
My garden soil PH is around 6, which is too acidic for some plant to realy thrive.
I keep adding lime/gypsum/wood ash to raise it. But it is not an instant cure thing. |
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